When President Isaac Herzog first announced the Voice of the People Initiative, the Jewish world was experiencing deep fractures. Jewish unity has never been a given, and at that moment, it felt especially fragile.
Then came October 7. In an instant, everything changed.
The darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust shattered assumptions about security and exposed vulnerabilities that few had imagined. Hamas’s mega-atrocity on October 7 was not just an attack on Israel but on the Jewish people – on our collective identity and security.
Yet, out of this catastrophe, something profound occurred: an explosion of Jewish peoplehood. Across the world, Jews who were disconnected from communal life and Israel suddenly felt bound to something larger than themselves. It was a moment of recognition: History had once again reminded us that our fate is inseparable from one another.
I experienced this on my first visit to Israel just after the Israel-Hamas War started. I met with evacuees from Kibbutz Or Haner, a secular, left-leaning community near Gaza. As we sat together, I felt the vast differences between us– an Orthodox Jew from the other side of the world meeting secular kibbutzniks. Yet, as we sat down, a 60-year-old grandmother turned to my 20-year-old nephew and said: “Don’t sit at the corner of the table – you won’t get married for seven years!”
It was the same superstition my grandmother would have said. In that instant, I felt the depth of what Jewish peoplehood truly means. Despite our differences, we were bound by something deeper than religion or geography. It was a stark reminder: Our connection to one another is our greatest strength. The unity we have felt since October 7 is not just a reaction to tragedy but a chance to rediscover who we are.
The Voice of the People initiative, under Herzog’s inspiring leadership, is a critical step in answering this question. By bringing the Jewish world together, it offers a rare opportunity to move beyond crisis response and into strategic thinking. It is a chance to channel this renewed sense of peoplehood into something lasting.
Throughout history, Jewish unity has often been forged in response to external threats. But if our collective Jewish identity is defined by our enemies, then we risk hollowing out our peoplehood into nothing more than survivalist.
Power and the limitations of trauma-based identity
AS SOMEONE who grew up in a family profoundly shaped by the Holocaust, I understand both the power and the limitations of trauma-based identity. The Holocaust dominated our Shabbat table and even bedtime stories. But I was fortunate that, alongside the weight of that history, I inherited the richness of Jewish learning, culture, and values.
I witnessed firsthand the impact on those whose identity was shaped primarily by the Holocaust. Guilt alone does not sustain Jewish continuity. It may bind one generation, but it does not create the foundations for the next. The same is true now. If we allow October 7 to define Jewish identity purely through the lens of trauma, it may deepen engagement for a time – but it will not last.
The coming years must be about more than fighting hate. They must be about ensuring that Jewish life – rooted in education, literacy, and connection to Israel – thrives on its own terms.
This is where Jewish philanthropy must be strategic. Over the past 15 months, I have dedicated nearly all my energy to combating antisemitism in Australia and confronting a government that failed to stand by Israel in its time of need. I have raised funds for these efforts and understand their necessity.
But I am deeply concerned that the pendulum is swinging too far. If we allocate resources disproportionately toward fighting antisemitism, we risk neglecting the very thing we are trying to protect: a thriving, meaningful Jewish identity.
We need a two-pronged strategy: engage newly connected Jews and bring them to Israel, followed by sustained Jewish education.
But experiences alone are not enough. They must be followed by serious investment in Jewish education and literacy – creating pathways for people, young and old, to develop a meaningful engagement with Jewish tradition. If we can achieve this, we will not only fight antisemitism–we will build something much stronger in its place.
The Jewish people have been here before. We have faced existential threats. We have been forced to rebuild from catastrophe. But our survival has never been just about fighting our enemies. It was about knowing who we are, teaching our children who they are, and ensuring that Jewish life continues – not out of fear, but out of purpose.This is our moment. Let’s not waste it.
The writer is the president of the Zionist Federation of Australia and a council member for the President’s Voice of the People Initiative.